This user has no description yet

[Review] Analysis of ZOO vs BUNS in IBL in Infinity Kingdom

Guide Forum suggestion
Article Publish : 10/05/2025 14:11

Translate

💠Introduction

What’s up, folks? Welcome back to my Illusion Battlefield League(IBL) series, where I take a closer look at different matches. The IBL tournament differs from regular IB in that everyone will construct marches and skill builds using a fixed set of skills. At different stages of the tournament, more immortals and skills will become available. Everyone has access to the same immortals and the same skills. Castle skins and Lord Talents do not affect the more fast-paced battles of IBL. Relocations and marching speed are also faster. The event is one of the most entertaining events in Infinity Kingdom, and players enjoy spectating, almost like a sporting event. In this article, I’m going to take a closer look at the first playoff match between Server 73’s Snugglebunnies(BUNS) and Server 14’s The ZOO(ZOO). BUNS’ positions in this match will be denoted in green while ZOO’s will be in red.

💠Table of Contents

Overview
Starting Positions and Talents
ZOO
BUNS
Tower 1
Tower 4
Central Tower
Altars
Home Towers
Play-by-Play
Summary

💠Overview

BUNS entered the Top 16 as one of the strongest contenders, finishing the first phase with a flawless seven to zero record. In the second phase they continued their dominant run by defeating GO plus, SV, and AOSK to secure their spot, building on their reputation as last season's third ranked team. They then beat AID to clinch a place in the top eight. ZOO reached the Top 16 after a strong six and two start in the first phase; they beat WV in the opening round of the second phase but stumbled against Midnight Sun, then fought through the losers bracket with wins over DSP and RIF before earning redemption in a rematch against Midnight Sun and advancing past LoL. Given BUNS' consistency, depth, and recent form, they should be considered the favorite.

💠Starting Positions and Talents

ZOO

Started with 20 players and ended with 24
11 Attack talents
8 Defense talents
1 Support talents

BUNS

Started with 26 players and ended with 28
11 Attack talents
8 Defense talents
7 Support talents

💠Tower 1

BUNS committed eight players to Tower 1 while ZOO sent four. ZOO attempted to block BUNS' relocations, operating under the misconception that because top sided teams gain a positional advantage at Tower 4 the bottom side would automatically gain an advantage at Tower 1. That is not true; bottom side teams do not have an inherent advantage. As a result BUNS were able to block three relocations, leaving only one ZOO invader isolated. With that numerical and positional edge BUNS should secure Tower 1 easily and ZOO’s four players will have effectively wasted their time. ZOO would have been better served contesting Tower 1 with a standard formation and conceding Tower 4.

💠Tower 4

BUNS committed eight players to Tower 4 while ZOO sent nine. Two BUNS players tried to predict and block ZOO relocations to leverage the top sided positional advantage, while ZOO relocated a little further away and effectively ceded spots around the tower expecting BUNS to arrive sooner. Ideally ZOO would have conceded this objective to play for Tower 1 instead. With proactive blocking attempts and closer spawn proximity, BUNS should be able to take the tower early and ZOO will face an uphill battle to wrest control back.

💠Central Tower

BUNS committed nine players to the Central Tower while ZOO sent two. If ZOO was only going to send two they should have conceded the center to contest the outer towers instead. Those two players will be flown in quickly but cannot meaningfully contest before BUNS consolidates control, so their relocations are a waste of time. With superior numbers and control of the vicinity BUNS can deny approaches to the tower and sustain their advantage for as long as they hold the objective.

💠Altars

Neither team went to the altars.

💠Home Towers

BUNS chose to leave their home tower unguarded in the opening minutes. ZOO stationed three defenders at theirs.

💠Play-by-Play

BUNS captured Tower 1 four minutes into the match after a decisive sequence. ZOO blocked one relocation while BUNS destroyed two, but one of ZOO's blockers was quickly isolated and surrounded by the rest of BUNS, who focused and zeroed him almost instantly. The remaining ZOO player fell shortly after under relentless pressure, leaving no resistance. With the area cleared BUNS secured the tower, then sent two players toward the altar and relocated two others to the outskirts of ZOO's home tower.

BUNS captured Tower 4 immediately upon landing and then turned their attention to the approaching enemies. They focused three targets and zeroed each in quick succession, moving up to finish them off one by one. ZOO tried to send reinforcements but BUNS destroyed or blocked most relocations and forced ZOO further back. BUNS left the right side of the tower lightly contested, allowing two ZOO players to relocate next to the objective, but with no backup they were quickly overwhelmed and fell. BUNS then consolidated control and secured the tower.

BUNS outnumbered ZOO and simultaneously defeated the two ZOO players sent to contest the center before the four minute mark. With that immediate threat neutralized, all but five BUNS advanced toward ZOO's home tower, consolidating control of the central vicinity and intercepting or destroying attempted relocations. ZOO could not field effective reinforcements and the center remained uncontested thereafter. BUNS captured the central tower at the 12 minute mark without resistance and then pushed their advantage toward the enemy home objective.

At the 6 minute mark BUNS began relocating players from Tower 1 toward ZOO's home tower where five guards were posted. ZOO managed to block and destroy a couple of relocations early, but BUNS kept flooding in from every direction, surrounding the outskirts and methodically pushing the defense back. Nearly half of BUNS arrived on scene while ZOO was still tied up trying to retake Tower 4 and could not match the numbers. BUNS ultimately stole the final tower at the 15 minute mark and maintained pressure for the remainder of the match.

💠Summary

The MVP was Cruella as BUNS won with 100,000 points to ZOO’s 6,700. ZOO’s gameplan was flawed from the start. ZOO’s misconception that the bottom sided team holds a natural advantage cost them heavily at Tower 1. Instead of contesting Tower 4 they should have focused more players on Tower 1 and conceded Tower 4. Despite heavy numbers at Tower 4, ZOO never got close because they were operating at a positional disadvantage and were already playing with a handicap. Even if they had prioritized Tower 1 it is unlikely ZOO would have prevailed given how much control BUNS had over the central tower. ZOO is knocked out of the tournament and BUNS will move on to play Ascendants of Asgard.